Next Up: Newport County Away

The writing has been on the wall for some time, but City go into a rare Sunday fixture this weekend knowing that if Northampton were to beat Mansfield by eight goals they’d be in the relegation zone after a crucial 1-0 home defeat against the Cobblers. Paul Tisdale went into Tuesday night’s fixture with that rarest of things – an unchanged side – but could ring the changes for the trip into foreign territory. John O’Flynn and Jimmy Keohane didn’t even make the bench for the home double and could return not just to the squad but to the starting line-up at Newport. Pat Baldwin may be added to the starting line-up too as Tisdale looks for a bit more steel in defence against what will be a bustling attack. Matt Gill is another player aching to start.

Newport have made a decent fist of life “back” in the Football League, but like City have recorded just one win in 2014 and a win for the visitors would drag the Welsh side right into the mire at the bottom. Just getting matches played was an issue for Justin Edinburgh’s side, contributing to the Mark Knopfler lookalike’s side finding itself in dire straits just outside the relegation zone. Tuesday night saw Newport slump to a 4-1 defeat at Morecambe – for the second time this season it was a disaster for Derby loanee Tom Naylor – this time he conceded a penalty and was shown a red card. The County line-up is expected to show an ex-Torquay pair up front in Rene Howe and Chris Zebroski, who is top scorer with nine goals. Lenny Pidgeley has been missing since the end of January so won’t expect to line up against his former club.

The sides met for the first time since the new incarnation of Newport was founded back in September, and it was the visitors who emerged comfortable 2-0 winners with goals from Washington and Worley. The last time City visited Newport, and the old County side’s Somerton Road ground, the match finished 1-1.

Match Officials: http://www.exeweb.com/2014/03/13/next-up-newport-county-away/